


Gleam and Glow

by beepers



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Child Abuse, Clay | Dream is Called Clay (Video Blogging RPF), Death, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Happy Ending, Execution, Festivals, Gaslighting, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Tangled (2010), Kidnapping, Philza Has Wings, Ram Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, Touch-Starved, a bit of beta because i don't want to die, fundy is wilbur's son, i add too much lore into block men fic, i will not specify if the queen is kristin or a fridge, philza is the king, wilbur and technoblade are princes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29380824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beepers/pseuds/beepers
Summary: Long time ago, an ex-deity found a magical flower that made him younger and stronger if you sang to it. Centuries later, the flower is taken away from him to heal the pregnant Queen of L'Manberg. Luckily, she lives and gives birth to third son of King Philza, Tommy. Unfortuantely, Dream cannot live without his precious flower. He steals the golden-haired prince and hides him away from everyone, so no one can take away his youth again.Years later, a boy called Tubbo accidentally discovers a small house hidden in the mountains as he runs from Technoblade and his hounds.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & Ranboo, TommyInnit & Clay | Dream, Tommyinnit & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 67
Kudos: 382





	1. Prologue - Part One

Once upon a time, the sun shed a tear and a single drop of pure sunlight fell on the ground. It sank into the fertile soil and at that exact spot a beautiful golden flower grew. It seemed to be surrounded by a subtle glow. For some time, it remained untouched. Nobody really lived nearby back then. Naturally, that state of things could not remain forever. Soon enough, a man who hid his face behind a mask with a smile came, drawn by the desire for power. He broke through the bushes and faced the small plant. It radiated with energy, he felt it in his bones. He kneeled right in front of the flower slowly reached out to it, to see if touching it would do anything. What he did not expect is having words to a song engraved in his mind. He could not help but sing along:

_Flower gleam and glow_

_Let your powers shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the fates design_

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_What once was mine It was incredible._

The strength and youth he once lost came back to him again. It reminded him of the days of great glory, when he would fight monsters plaguing the Earth and people adored him. Prime, it had been so long. It made him tear up a bit. He missed those times so bad. Clay, because that was the name he chose for himself, looked around the area. The sand of a coast he stood on felt soft in his hands and tall oak trees provided a nice hideout from the heat. A day before getting to the coast, he saw steep mountains with caves and tunnels. They had to be rich in resources. He could settle there, to be near the flower and to make sure nobody else discovers its power. It could be his new safe haven.

Centuries passed one by one and Clay stayed the same, while everything else changed. The sand was full of grass now, more people were around and nations began to form. The immortal had to stay in his secret house for longer periods of time and keeping the flower for himself became incredibly difficult. But he always managed to disguise it in one way or another. Its location remained undiscovered, however rumors and legends seemed to multiply with every decade. Everyone heard about a mysterious golden plant with unbelievable capabilities, but nobody could locate it. It appeared nobody except Clay would get to harness the power of the sun.

Everything changed when the Queen of L’Manberg got sick. Her health kept worsening with each day. She grew weaker and weaker, and so did her unborn child. Many doctors tried to help, King Philza made sure to bring the best medics to his castle, but none of them knew how to cure the disease. Wilbur and Techno kept asking if their mom was going to be okay and their father was heart-broken whenever he had to say she would be, even though he was losing hope. In desperation, he recalled the legend of the golden flower. It was madness to believe it exists, he was aware. Despite that, he ordered the Royal Guard to search for the magical plant. Each moment counted. The Queen could begin giving birth at any moment and doctors were clear about one thing - she would not survive it in her current state.

Maybe it was because of pure determination or maybe fate could not bear the laments of the raven-winged king, but the flower was found. Guards dug it out from the ground, making sure not to harm a single root and brought it to the castle. There, a special potion was prepared, with the golden plant being a main ingredient. You could sense how every citizen of the kingdom waited in anticipation, hoping for good news. The healing magic worked and a couple days later, a golden-haired prince was born. After making sure the mother and her son were healthy, all medics left the room and royal twins were invited in, so the whole family could see their newest addition together.

“His name is Thomas, but we can call him Tommy.” Wilbur and Techno were scooped up by Philza and the king put them on the bed, so they could get a better look. Their father stood right next to the rest of the family and spread his wings protectively over them.

“He is so small!” said Prince Wilbur. Techno remained silent, but you could see a fascinated glimmer in his eyes.”And his hands are so tiny!”

“Well, he was just born, you know? You two were tiny too!” Philza stared lovingly at his wife and three sons. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago he was scared he would have to be planning a funeral for his dear wife and son. He could not let his family be touched by any tragedy ever again. They were destined to be happy, he was sure of it.


	2. Prologue - Part Two

There was no time to waste. The last time Clay harnessed the power of the sun was about two weeks ago. His face was gaining wrinkles again and he felt less fit already. He was still stronger than average, but that would not last for long. He had to get his precious flower back at all costs. He even did something he usually avoided - he went to the capital, full of different people, and talked with local folks to gain information. What he has found is that the Royal Guards delivered the plant to L’Manberg Castle and a potion was prepared to heal the Queen. It made sense - he could feel the sun's energy getting stronger as he moved closer to the royal home.

In the middle of the night, he scaled the walls, ran through royal gardens, knocking out everyone who got in his way. Centuries of practise taught him how to sneak past even the most secured places. As he followed the scent of power, he maneuvered in the shadows, taking the most silent steps. Much to his surprise, he kept going to the upper floors. Wouldn’t a flower capable of curing all diseases be in infirmary? Well, it made no sense to overthink it. He sensed he was meant to go up very clearly.

Suddenly, he realized he was close to the royal chambers. There were much more guards around and the decor seemed richer. Which meant his job was about to get way more difficult. He scanned his surroundings, hoping there was something that could help him. It took a while, but he noticed it. An enormous chandelier, full of diverse crystals, was hanging from the ceiling. If he aimed just right, he could cut the rope holding all of it. He took a knife out of his pocket, took a deep breath and focused. With great confidence, Clay swinged his arm and let go of the weapon. He watched as it sliced through the rope and then closed his eyes as tons of shards filled the air. Everyone around ran to see what had just happened. The masked man mixed with the crowd. Nobody cared about a person without any armor at that moment. The royal pair must have woken up too, because both of them were in the hall. Clay got distracted for a second, but then he felt the power trail. He had to follow it. He had to feel it in his veins again.

He sneaked into a room, which had to be the bedroom of the King and the Queen. That was the right place, the flower almost made him dizzy. Where was it? Where did they put it?

He heard a soft sound from a crib that stood right next to the bed and it all became clear. How could he forget about a newly born prince? Slowly but surely, he got closer to the source of the sound and he saw him. A tiny baby with ridiculously golden hair slept soundly, despite all the chaos just a door away.

Clay touched his tiny fist and Tommy immediately grabbed his finger. The man began to sing softly. It sounded almost like a whisper, but it was enough for the magic of the sun to start making him feel younger and stronger. The baby fussed, but he kept going. While making sure not to lose skin contact, he picked the prince up and then held him in his arms.

“Let go of my son.” Clay looked away from a person in his embrace. King Philza stood in the doorway, his eyes full of fear. “I will give you everything you want, just please, put him down.” Foolish. He had no idea what his kid was, did he? Clay chuckled.

“You clearly don’t know what I want, Your Highness.” He took a few steps back, closer to the balcony behind him. King’s breathing was unsteady, but he did his best to remain in control of it.

“Then tell me and let me give it you, but for the love of Prime, please put my son back to thr crib” Clay took another few steps back. The prince started fussing again. King Philza tried to calm his child by making shushing noises.

“All I want is on me right now, Your Highness.” As soon as he said those words, he quickly layed the prince on his chest, so with one hand free he could break the glass of balcony doors. Shielding the child with his own body, he ran through the hole he made and jumped down, straight to the ground. He knew he would survive the fall unharmed. The King followed without a second thought, not thinking that glass shards were about to damage his wings. He could catch that bastard. He had to. But wounds in his wings opened as he tried to fly, and the king yelped in pain. He tried to focus on the kidnapper, but everything ached, making it impossible. The only thing he could hope for is that someone heard him, or someone saw the criminal run, and they would bring his baby back to him.

_Almost six years later_

The traitor and the murderer was brought to the Throne Room. He seemed amused by black banners in every corner. He also seemed to find the king and two princes with eyes red from crying pretty funny, because he started to laugh, like a maniac. Everybody in the room was absolutely disgusted by it. How could that man feel any joy at such horrible circumstances?

“Our King, Philza, will now announce his verdict on Jschlatt, former Royal Advisor. Charges against him are: treason, conspiring against the Crown and murder of our beloved Queen.” Prince Wilbur sobbed, while Techno simply let tears fall. He was always less prone to emotional outbursts, or any emotional reaction in general, but that? That hurt like hell. He stared intensely at the man who took his mother away. In the first row of the crowd, a tiny boy with even tinier horns clinged to one of his aunt, Puffy. He did not fully understand what was happening, but he knew his dad did something unspeakably horrible and that he had to be punished.

King Philza stood up from his throne. His damaged wings hung somberly and his eyes seemed empty.

“You were one of the most trusted members of the court. You had a comfortable life, friends, a kid who loves you. Was that not enough for you? Was planning to kill all of my family worth losing all of it? Was killing the love of my life a must?” His voice was trembling. He really tried to radiate power, like you would expect from the great leader, but how could he? How does one hide so much pain? Jschlatt just laughed. It’s all he could do in his power-hungry thirst. “You will be executed before sundown. I don’t want you around on this Earth for longer than you need to be.” The kid in the crowd asked what ‘executed’ means. His aunt told him everything was going to be okay. “And your son…” Jschlatt suddenly went quiet. He scanned the crowd behind him and quickly spotted his boy looking back at him. “... He shall be exiled from L’Manberg. If he ever dares to return, his punishment will be death.” The murderer froze. “I recognise this decision is controversial, but I cannot imagine a child of a traitor being raised under my roof. If you want to secure his safety outside the border, I can make that happen.” Jschlatt took a second to think. He looked up to his sister.

“Puffy?” His voice cracked. For a second, she felt sorry for her brother. Then she remembered what he did. But alas, she sighed and responded to an unanswered question.

“I’ll take care of him, but not for you. You deserve what is coming for you, but Tubbo? He does not.” The killer whispered ‘thank you’. King Philza took a deep breath.

“Very well. Now take this man away and prepare the execution. Captain Puffy…” He looked at the child and his aunt. “...I suggest you leave before it happens.” Guards began fulfilling their tasks. Before being dragged out of the Throne Room, there was one last thing to be said.

“Tubbo, I love you! Never forget that!”  
Those were his last words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my fic! It's been a while since I wrote and I am honestly surprised by the number of notes!


	3. Tommy Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dudes! First of all, we have 1000 hits POG. Second of all, this chapter was supposed to be out at thursday or friday but you know, LIFE. And a final. Thank you for all the comments, I know I don't reply to all of them but I read every single one.

Tommy was sitting by the window, looking out for his father to return. It's been three days since he left to get some fresh vegetables and possibly a new book for his son to read. The boy has done basically everything that could have been done. The house was perfectly clean, he read some of his favorite stories, he even tried to paint something, but he still found himself being utterly bored. There weren't really a lot of interesting things to do there. Tommy was tempted to say he hated those walls and rooms, but then he remembered they were keeping him safe.

You see, he was born with an incredible power. He could make someone younger and stronger if he was holding someone's hand and a special song was sung. Even though his dad tried to keep it a secret, people found out about the magic. They wanted the power for themselves, so one day they broke into his father's home and tried to kidnap him. Luckily, those wrongens were beaten. But more and more people were coming, trying to steal Tommy away. One time, he actually almost died during an attack. That is when his father realized that they have to run somewhere where nobody would be able to find them. He found a house hidden in the mountains. You could get to it only by entering a narrow cave. Nobody would suspect people could even live there.

_ “I wish I could make this world safe for you, I really do. But people outside are greedy and violent. If we weren’t here, in our home, they would find you and do horrible things. And I can’t let anything happen to my precious flower.” Tommy remembers sitting on Father’s lap by the fireplace. It was pretty late, but he did not feel tired at all. “You understand that, don’t you?” The little boy nodded his head. _

_ “Yeah, the outside is scary. There are monsters!" Father chuckled before ruffling Tommy's hair. _

_ "Not anymore, remember? I told you a story about how a god named Dream defeated them all." Kid's eyes lit up. He remembered that tale very well, it was one of his favorites of all time. _

_ "Yeah! Dream was the coolest!" Father laughed again, but he did not seem to be as happy as before. He stared at an unknown point on the wall, his eyes empty. Tommy wondered why. _

_ "I think it's time for you to sleep. It's already dark outside." Naturally, the boy protested, but his dad picked him up and carried him to his bed. He tucked his son in and softly sang their lullaby. It worked like a charm, because Tommy fell asleep immediately. _

Despite knowing how dangerous the outside, part of him wanted to see the world beyond his safe haven. Was he scared of it? Definitely, he was absolutely terrified. But always staying in hiding, trapped in a house forever was boring and exhausting. He actually wouldn’t mind some first-hand thrill, even if it came from danger. Not to mention, there one strange anomaly he dreamt of seeing up close. Every year, on his birthday, thousands of lights filled the sky. They weren’t stars, since they were moving around. They also seemed to be arriving from the same direction. Tommy found them mesmerizing. He had never let father know, but he always managed to sneak to the top of the house to get the best view. It felt like freedom.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He shouted and quickly turned around, ready to punch whoever got in. His hand immediately got blocked.

“I am glad you have an instinct to defend yourself, but if I was a kidnapper you would be a goner.” Tommy’s muscles relaxed. He knew this voice, it was dad. He was okay. He must have been too stuck in his own thoughts to notice him entering. He sighed out in relief and instinctively went for a hug, but his caretaker stopped him. Oh, right. Father did not like physical displays of affection, which was pain. Tommy couldn’t remember when he got hugged last time. “Have you behaved well while I was gone?” The boy nodded energetically.

“Yeah! The house is clean, I cooked meals and shit. And obviously I haven’t left the house.” Father grimaced at the curse word. Tommy saw it and instantly apologised. “Sorry, no cursing, I forgot.” Dad shook his head and that teenager’s heart broke a little. He hated disappointing the man who saved him. Why did he forget a rule they had for years?

“Oh, c’mon now, don’t worry. I am not mad. Besides, I have exciting news! About your birthday!” Tommy’s eyes lit up. That was in three days! It had to be about a gift and celebrating! "I accidentally met the bookclerk on my way back and there is a brand new book. It's called City of Mizu, and I have to say, even I don't know that story, but it sounds promising." Father knew all the tales there are to tell. It had to be special if he really had no idea what to expect from it. "Unfortunately, I could not get it, but I still might have a chance. I would have to go away for about four days, to the bookstore and back. But that also means I wouldn't be there for your seventeenth birthday."

Tommy used all of his strength to pretend to not be upset. It wouldn't be the first time father missed it. He understood it was often a necessity for him to be somewhere else, often because of a gift actually. Still, it would be nice if they could just spend time together on a day like that. He could try to convince him to stay, but he knew it was pointless. He made an attempt last year.

"It's okay, really. The book is worth it." He tried to sound cheerful, but something in his voice must have given it away. Father picked up Tommy’s hands and held them. It felt comforting to sense some touch. 

"Hey, it’s okay. We are going to spend a lot of time when I get back. I know I am horrible for leaving right before your birthday..." The boy tried to protest, but father shushed him. “... But I will make it up for you. Not only will I bring a new book, I will also gather supplies to make your favorite cake. How do you like the sound of that?” Tommy forced a smile. He didn’t want to upset his dad with his feelings.

“Sounds good!” Father chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair. “I can help you prepare for the journey.”Tommy offered. His caretaker nodded approvingly.

“Thank you, my precious flower. I appreciate that a lot, but what I need the most is for you to sing me a song.” The boy looked up to see his father’s face. It was covered in scars since he can remember. The worst one was probably on the right cheek. It refused to heal properly, no matter how much effort Tommy made. But that did not matter the most at the moment. He did not pay attention before, but the wrinkles around dad’s eyes and a bit of gray hair were a clear sign he needed their song. The teenager wasted no time. He did not let go of his father's hands and began to sing softly. A delicate glow surrounded both of them as pure magic was transmitted. Marks of aging quickly disappeared and the parent smiled. He took a deep, satisfied breath. With the last note, the energy lost its intensivity, but Tommy knew it was still there, just hidden.

“Now that’s better.” Dad let go of son’s hands. For a longer while there was complete silence, but not an awkward one. Tommy’s caretaker liked to take in the feeling right after regaining his youth.

The rest of the day was spent on collecting the right resources for a trip. Tommy prepared everything, while his father went back to his room, most likely to repack his backpack. The sky went completely dark by the time the teenager was left alone once again.


	4. Tubbo on the run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYYYY we almost hit 1500 hits! Amazing! Spectacular even! Thank you for all the kudos and comments!  
> I kinda popped off and wrote this chapter in one day.  
> If you have already read previous chapters, I recommend checking chapter three again. I added one scene because i kinda forgot to write it and it essential.  
> Anyways, enjoy!

When Tubbo asked aunt Puffy if they could move to the outskirts of L’Manberg, she said it would be too much of a risk Former captain knew how the king valued safety in his kingdom and she was afraid it would put her nephew in too much risk. Still, one day she budged. Partially because it was hard to keep saying no to a boy she promised to take care of, partially because she missed home herself. Naturally, they didn’t return the capital - guards would find them right away. She found a small community located close to the border, where snow never really left. The people of this little village called it Snowchester. It was lovely and everybody living there welcomed them with open arms. The only requirement was to regularly help in maintaining the crops. Even though it wasn’t exactly the castle, it felt a bit more like home. She believed that her nephew could have a peaceful life there.

Tubbo, obviously, chose to defy her expectations in every way manageable. He became friends with Ranboo, a silent tall half-enderman, and they would always get in some kind of trouble. No matter how much she tried. The duo would sneak away from Snowchester and go exploring. Sometimes, they disappeared for days, making poor Puffy extremely worried. But they always returned unharmed and with a great story to tell the rest of the village. You really can’t blame her for expecting the same turn of events to happen yet again.

Things, however, went very wrong. What the aunt didn’t know is that recently the king demanded for Tubbo to be brought back to the castle. Apparently he was seen in the heart of L’Manberg, walking around as if he was not risking execution. He ordered his son, Technoblade, to find the boy at all costs. Two days before the birthday of the lost prince, the pink-haired warrior finally managed to track him down. Tubbo suddenly heard dogs barking in the distance and all blood left his face. He told Ranboo to try teleporting back to Snowchester before he got up and began to sprint as fast as he could. He pulled down his hat, which hid tiny horns coming out of his head as he navigated between trees. He did not dare to look back to see how close Techno was. As long as he ran, he had a chance to come up with a plan to lose him.

The chase was intense. Blade’s dogs, often called the Hound Army, howled as they followed the scent of the ram hybrid. They seemed to be getting closer and closer, and Tubbo began to feel tired. Branches and leaves smacked his face as he struggled to avoid rocks under his feet. He could not go on like that for much longer, but the fear of getting caught did not allow him to stop. His breath became short, each inhale was like a desperate gasp for air. His mind was slowly losing focus. That is probably why he didn’t notice a tree root in his way and tripped over it. It was an unfortunate fall too. He somehow slid to one side of the path and kept stumbling upon more obstacles, down a steep hill. Those bruises were going to be very nasty. 

Finally, his big fall stopped right in front of a cave. When he finally could focus enough to judge his situation and all the adrenaline wore off, he noted two things. First of all, everything hurt. He noticed a few shallow cuts on his arms and legs. Second thing, he could not hear the barking, which means he was rid of Technoblade and his hounds, at least for a while. The last detail he noticed is that there was a single strand of light coming out of the inside of the cave. Which was probably the most surprising out of all he noted. Weren’t they supposed to be dark and gloomy? What was the light source? After a while of thinking, Tubbo decided to investigate. It’s not like coming back to the path would do him any good anyways. 

It did not take long to get to the end of the cave. The beam of light appeared really small from his standpoint, but now he could see exactly where it was coming from. There was another entrance to that tunnel, but it was covered by massive boulders. The placing didn’t seem random too - whoever placed them knew what they were doing. Without much thought, Tubbo decided to slowly take apart the barricade. It was tough to get to the rocks on the top, but one after the other, he took them all apart. On the other side stood a house made out of dark bricks. It seemed abandoned, but the hybrid was not sure if he was right. Still, that build could contain some useful stuff. He had to check it out.

He made it through a small field, taking in the smell of tall grass and flowers. Bees were buzzing around him, but he paid no mind. He liked bees. Soon enough, he stood in front of the door. Hesitantly, he knocked on them three times, just in case someone lived there. He waited for a minute or two, but there was no response. He tried once again but the results stayed the same. Tubbo huffed. He was ready to leave, when with a corner of his eye he saw that a window was open. He could try to get in through there! And it wouldn’t be like breaking in, since clearly no one lived in the house.

In his thoughts, he quietly thanked his long-dead father for ram genetics. They made climbing much more easier. He balanced on narrow ledges easily and quickly reached the windowsill. With a bit of a struggle caused by those stupid cuts after being chased, he managed to get inside of the house. Much to his surprise, it looked as if it was dusted not so long ago. He was standing in the kitchen, furnished with dark oak and stone. It looked very nice. He went deeper into the room, admiring the decor.

And then he got hit in the head with a pan and fainted.


	5. First Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! First things first 2000 HITS AND 200 KUDOS OMG THANK YOU.   
> Second thing, I am starting uni again soon, so I will have less time to write daily, but I am going to try maintain about two uploads a week.   
> Also, I hope you enjoy!

It was difficult for Tommy to decide whether he was absolutely terrified or thrilled. He was breathing heavily and all of his muscles tensed up as he held the pan in the air. He just knocked out a person! On his own! And he has never really learnt how to fight. I mean, if hitting a guy with kitchenware counted as fighting.The whole situation felt so bizzare. Through all of his life, nobody had managed to find him. He forgot that was even an option. Yet here it was, a boy with curly brown hair hidden under his hat laying on the floor, unconscious. What was Tommy supposed to do now? Carry him out of the haven? He was forbidden from leaving the building. Should he hold him hostage until father arrives? That also didn’t seem to be the best option. That guy was going to wake up at some point, wasn’t he? What if he accidentally killed him? Tommy did not want to be a murderer.

Eventually, he chose to drag the guy from the kitchen to the living room and see if there is anything he can tie him up with, so he would not be able to do any harm when he wakes up. But before that, he lifted the intruder up and placed him on a sofa in front of the fireplace. He noticed small cuts all over his body. For a second, he was tempted to heal them, but then he remembered that dude was probably there to harm him. He did not look very intimidating though. He was quite small and rather thin. Could he really do much harm? Maybe a bit of healing would not be bad. He gently grabbed the intruder's hand and began to sing. All cuts closed up quickly. He could also sense that the boy broke some bones, because he appeared to hear them being fixed. It was a strange sensation, and not in a good way.

As soon as he finished, the guy’s eyelids fluttered. Tommy took a step back and quickly scanned the room for the pan. Fortunately, he moved it along with the intruder. Before he regained full consciousness, the golden-haired boy was armed again.

“I’m not afraid of you, bitch!” He shouted. The person on the sofa grimaced at the sound. “I will not allow you to hurt me, you fuck!” Ah yes, the fear was back again, but at least it felt good to curse. He wasn’t allowed to swear, but he could only hope father would let it slide if he knew what was happening. 

“Wha… What the hell is going on?” The guy tried to sit up, but Tommy immediately began shouting again. 

“No! Lay down! You are not allowed to move from here.” The boy laid down, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. Who was that blonde tall-ass who just kept screaming? And where were they? “I know why you are here.” Tommy lowered the pan, close to the other teenager’s face. His eyes went wide and he instinctively moved his head away.

“Woah there, big man! There is no need to keep your guard up, I literally have no idea what is going on.” Tommy did not lift up the pan. Instead, he scoffed. The audacity of this dude! He broke into his unfindable home and he dared to make up lies. Father told him clearly, if someone ever ended in their house, they would be up to no good.

“Don’t act stupid! Now tell me, what was your plan? To kidnap me, to kill me or to… I don’t even know, experiment on me?” Curly-haired boy blinked a few times. That situation could not be real. He was so sure the house was abandoned! He did not expect a paranoid guy with way too much space in his lungs screaming at him. 

“Look, I was running from Technoblade, I tripped, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, I followed it and I saw a run-down house on the other side. Can you blame me for wanting to explore?” Tommy squinted his eyes. The guy seemed to be saying the truth, but that did not make sense. Wasn’t he supposed to be there to do evil things? To be driven by greed and power-hunger?

“So… You have no idea who I am? And you weren’t looking for my hideout?” He slightly lifted up the pan, but he needed a confirmation.

“I have never heard of you or seen you and I am here by accident. Why would I even look for you?” Tommy took a moment to think. If this guy really had no idea about anything and he arrived at his safe haven by chance… Then that meant he was not in any danger. He took the pan away, but held onto it, just in case. “Who are you?”

Shit, he never had to introduce himself before. He had no idea how to get to it. Was he supposed to wave or shake hands? He was not ready for that situation at all, but he somehow decided to just say what was his name.

“I’m Tommy. And you?” Apparently, he chose the right course of action, because the dude on the sofa sat up and extended his hand, most likely so it can be shook.

“I’m Tubbo. It’s...nice to meet you.” Reluctantly, Tommy shook Tubbo’s hand. Because of how his power was activated, that gesture felt a bit too intimate to be shared with a stranger. But it was probably normal outside of his little world, so he just rolled with it, ignoring how strange it felt. “So, what is your deal? Why are you so sure I am out there to kill you, big man?” 

Tommy sure as hell was not about to explain why to Tubbo. He could still turn against him if he found out he had powers. Somehow, he crafted the most vague answer he could. "I had… multiple unpleasant encounters with intruders in the past. Trust me, you would be wary too if you knew." Thankfully, Tubbo did not ask more questions. He must have taken a hint. 

"And… You live here?" The boy looked around the unfamiliar room, judging every corner. Tommy watched as he scanned their surroundings. 

"Uh, yeah. I've lived here since I remember. With my dad. Although, he travels a lot lately so it's mostly me on my own." It felt so weird to talk to someone that was not his dad. He knew everything about him, but Tubbo was a mystery. Having a conversation with him felt like making a completely new discovery. Even though he was sure his father would be furious if he found out about it, he wanted to continue. He wouldn't call it particularly fun, but it certainly was a change. “But he brings me a lot of gifts, like books or paint, so I can have something to do. It gets pretty boring to be stuck in this house for nearly seventeen years.” Once again, Tubbo’s eyes went wide. He stared at Tommy in disbelief.

“Wait a minute, are you implying you have never left your home? Ever?” Did Tommy say something wrong? He opened his mouth to say something, but he had no idea what it should be. He decided a nod would be sufficient. Tubbo let out a shocked gasp. “Dude, what the hell? That is crazy! What is even your life, big man?” Before Tommy could think of a coherent response, Tubbo sat up, scaring him in the process. He pulled up the pan in defense, ready to attack again. "Hey, I am not going to hurt you. It's okay." Tubbo's voice was much softer than before. He put his arms behind his back, which calmed Tommy. At least if he was about to try something, it would take him a bit longer. “I’m sorry if I come off too strong, I just think you might be a quite interesting guy and I want to get to know you.” 

Something, but he could not tell what it was, made Tommy feel warm inside. Maybe because nobody even had a chance to say something like that to him before. It was nice to hear it, which was enough for the socially-deprived teenager to decide to try and trust Tubbo a bit more.


	6. Coming out of my cage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo... I was orginally going to post this later but Tommy’s stream eh? How are we feeling fellas?  
> Also THANK YOU FOR ALL THE KUDOS AND HITS! HOLY COW

Tommy had decided that Tubbo was a cool guy. He quickly picked up on how his host didn’t want to reveal too much about himself and took over in their conversation. Once he stopped disbelieving that his new acquaintance has never seen the world, besides his little haven, he declared it was his duty to tell him about everything. Tommy learnt they were at the area of a small kingdom called L’Manberg, which bordered with Dream SMP. Father has never taught him about any geography! Anyway, that country was ruled by King Philza, who had two sons. One of them was Technoblade, captain of the Royal Guard and founder of the Hound Army, which was really just about thirty well-trained dogs. The other one was Wilbur, future king and a single father to prince Fundy, a fox hybrid. There was also another son, a prince who happened to have the exact same name as Tommy, but he was kidnapped as a newborn. It’s been years, but nobody has found him yet. Most people think he is dead, but king Philza refuses to give up hope. Each year, on his lost child’s birthday, everyone in the capital would let thousands of lanterns fly right after sunset. This tradition was commemorating the boy, but it also showed him where his home was. Which was nice at all, but Tommy thought it didn’t make much sense. How was the prince supposed to know those lights were for him? But that was only a background thought. He was mainly excited to finally understand what that strange anomaly was.

“I’ve been sneaking out to the top of a roof just to watch them since I have turned nine and I had no idea what I was looking at. I always dreamt of seeing them up close. And I still do.” It was painful to remember that would never happen. His father would never expose him to so much danger, no matter how much Tommy would ask. 

Tubbo laughed at what his new friend had just said. “You? Sneaking out? That seems unlikely.” Tommy pretended to be offended. He gasped and rolled his eyes.

“I’m serious, I did sneak out, multiple times! I waited for father to fall asleep and I climbed on the wall, which is really hard to do in the dark and I’m scared I’ll fall everytime, but the sight…” He recalled his last birthday. Thanks to his dad being absent, he had plenty of time to prepare a whole picnic for himself. He even made a birthday cake! It was the first time he could see the lights rise up as the sun set behind the mountains. He has never seen anything like it. Tommy spent hours watching the sky, wrapped in his blanket. It was probably one of his best memories. “...It’s worth it.” Tubbo stared at Tommy for a longer while. It was difficult to tell what it meant. “Tubbo?”

“I think you should go see them.” Tommy got shivers from hearing those words. Was that the actual suggestion? No, he couldn’t go. He wasn’t even able to imagine how pissed his dad would be.

“I-I can’t, my father…” Tubbo sighed and rolled his eyes. 

“I honestly don’t care what your father thinks, you have been stuck here for ages! No amount of protectiveness justitfies keeping you here, like in a cage. The least you deserve is going out to fulfill your dream.” Tommy bit his tongue hard, stopping himself from saying something rude. This house was not a cage! And his father had a good reason to never let him out. Of course, he could not explain it to Tubbo, he shouldn’t know too much about Tommy and his life. To be fair, he shouldn’t even be there. Maybe Tommy made a mistake by not asking him to leave earlier, before they got to talk and finding Tubbo’s company enjoyable. “Look, I get the thought of leaving your safe little reality is scary, but I cannot imagine leaving you all alone here and you not seeing the lantern festival. It would be...unfair. And sad.” 

Tommy considered those words carefully. Maybe Tubbo wasn’t completely wrong. Father told him people will try to harm him, yet his guest was only kind to him. How could he be sure he wasn’t wrong about other things? Not to mention, he really wanted to see those lanterns. According to Tubbo, they were absolutely spectacular. He had to see it with his own eyes.

“If I agreed to go, would you go with me? And could I return home immediately after the lights, so my father doesn’t find out I had left?” Was he actually considering this? Was he really going to take a risk and leave into the unknown world?

“Of course I’ll go with you! I can be your guide to the capital.” Tommy sighed in relief. He was not ready to walk out on his own. He would probably get overwhelmed and walk back. “And yes, we can try to get back as fast as possible. It’s no problem.” The golden-haired boy took a deep breath. This could work, right? Father wouldn’t have to know a thing and Tommy would have a memory of his small adventure for the rest of his life. 

“I… I think I will go.” Part of him expected his dad to show up out of nowhere and scold him, but nothing like that could actually happen. Still, Tommy’s muscles tensed. He was experiencing an overwhelming fear. At the same time, his mind was screaming in joy. How can one even feel both of those emotions at once?

“Awesome! We will stop at Snowchester first though, my aunt Puffy is probably worried about me a lot. And we can get some food from there. And you can meet some of my friends, like Ranboo or Jack Manifold! And…” Tubbo continued his rambling as Tommy packed a warm coat, some fruit his father brought and water. At least he knew how to prepare after years of packing dad’s bag. He also took the pan. It was no sword or a crossbow, but it worked well as a weapon. Finally, two teenagers walked to the kitchen window, the only way out of the house for those who had no doorkeys.

Without much thinking, Tubbo jumped out of the window and landed safely on the ground. How did he not break his legs? Tommy stared down at the ground and Tubbo. He was waving at him, encouraging him to come down. The distance between the kitchen and the grass seemed much bigger than usual, which added to generał anxiety he was experiencing. Despite all of this, Tommy slowly climbed at the windowsill. His hands were shaking, but it was going to be okay. He just had to keep calm. Once his legs were on the other side of the window. He turned around and slowly lowered himself against the wall, holding onto the edge like his life depended on it. His feet obviously did not touch the ground yet. About two meters separated him from a flat surface. 

"Just let go! You'll be fine." Tommy inhaled unsteadily. That was it. If he lets go, there would be no turning back. The adventure was going to begin and the most important rule would be broken. He closed his eyes. Hesitantly, he allowed himself to fall. 

The first thing he felt was the grass. It was soft between his fingers. Then, he took a deep breath and he could sense its smell. Then, finally, he opened his eyes and looked up. The house seemed much higher from his current perspective. But what is even more bizarre is that he could actually see it from the outside. He wasn’t inside anymore.

Tommy whispered so quietly, that he could barely hear himself. A single tear left his eye. "Holy shit." 


	7. Welcome to Snowchester

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS KUDOS AND HITS  
> I appreciate it greatly I am literally living my dream right now thank you 🥺  
> This chapter is mostly just good times and some bonding so don't worry  
> ENJOY

Despite knowing him for less than three hours, Tubbo found himself liking that Tommy guy. Sure, he was pretty weird with his obsessive worrying about his father's opinion, and the fact he was kept in the same place for all of his life was at least concerning. However, when he managed to forget about his anxieties, he was quite an entertaining guy. He had a lot of energy and could not stop asking about the world. It was surprising how much he did not know. Apparently, he had no idea about any countries or what was happening in them. He let Tubbo talk about what he knew all the time, which was nice. Tommy desperately needed to get in touch with reality, so it worked both ways. 

What was sad is how he refused to talk about himself at all. Tubbo understood to some extent, he had his right to keep secrets. The ram hybrid would know, he did not go around telling everyone his father killed the Queen. Hell, most people didn't even know he had horns. They weren't very big yet, but if he wasn't wearing a hat, they would be easily noticed. Letting others know who he is would put him in danger. Maybe it was the same for Tommy. 

"I think you'll like Snowchester. It's always cold there, but It's one the prettiest places I've ever been to and everybody is nice there. We have a potato farm and a bee dome and each of us helps maintain it. We really care about each other there." Tommy nodded along, taking in every word said to him and making sure he does not forget anything. The world was much bigger than he expected it to be. It was crazy that father had never mentioned any actual history of the lands they lived in. "I know you would probably rather go to the capital right away, but I genuinely think Aunt Puffy would kill me if I didn't let her know I'm okay. Ranboo must have already told her that Technoblade found us." Tubbo really hoped Tommy would not ask why Techno was looking for him, but with his childlike curiosity, it was unavoidable.

"What is this guy's problem with you? Doesn't he have some royal things to do? Because he is a prince, right?" Tubbo sighed as he tried to find the best way to answer that question without revealing too much. Which was nearly impossible. 

"Well...uh… It's really complicated, but the king doesn't like me that much. I don't… Only Ranboo and aunt know why exactly." Tommy opened his mouth, ready to ask more questions, when Tubbo noticed familiar builds out of spruce wood. How did he not realize they were so near home before? Well, it did not matter. He had to let his new friend know. "Tommy, we're here! C'mon, let's go!" Without much thinking, Tubbo ran to his home, jumping swiftly between surrounding trees. 

"Hey! Wait up!" Tommy was right behind him, trying his best to catch up. While Tubbo was a fast runner even as a little kid, Tommy had longer legs. Sure, his steps weren't very graceful, but he made it up with enthusiasm. He would have probably easily outrun him if he had more chances to practise. 

They stopped in the middle of the village, on a small square. It was around midday, which meant most people were busy with their jobs. No one hung out in the common area. Tubbo wanted to move along and check the potato farm, but he noticed that Tommy was standing still, staring at his surroundings with wonder. 

"This village is so much nicer than my home! And there's snow! I didn't know it made a sound when you step on it!" He started walking in a small circle, amazed by his new discovery. Tubbo couldn't help but smile. He looked so happy to be there. 

"I know, right? It’s great." Suddenly, he got an incredible idea. He picked up some of the snow and formed a ball. He waited until Tommy turned around to aim a snowball at him. Unfortunately, Tubbo's aim wasn't very good, so it hit his head. 

"What was that!?" The ram hybrid laughed at his clear confusion. 

"That would be my poor attempt to start a snow fight. Do you… Do you know what that is?" Tommy squinted his eyes. He has heard about snow fights before. Well, he had read about them, there was a description of one in some book. Without breaking the gaze, he picked up a lot of snow from the ground, forming quite a big snowball. Tubbo took a step back. 

“I do, actually." That's when he began to chase Tubbo with his snowy projectile. The other boy immediately tried to escape the danger radius.

"Tommy, no!" He tried to sound like he was actually distressed, but it was just too fun. Soon enough, Tubbo got hit, but he quickly prepared a counter attack. The boys were playing for quite a while. They allowed themselves to enjoy the moment. Both of them were covered in snow. Tommy’s hair got wet, but he paid no mind. He threw another snowball and Tubbo dodged it. Unfortunately, there was someone standing behind him. 

A woman with ram horns stood with her arms crossed. Snow got stuck in her curly hair, but she pretended not to be bothered by it. She looked intimidating, despite being short. Blood left Tommy’s face. Tubbo raised his left eyebrow, trying to figure out what was going on. 

"Tubbo!" Oh crap. He completely forgot about finding aunt Puffy. He turned around to face her. She looked angry, which caused him to gulp. But as soon as she saw her nephew, she opened up her arms in a welcoming manner. "For the love of prime, you're okay!" Tubbo quickly appeared right in front of her and hugged her tight. Meanwhile, the former captain wrapped her arms around her boy and lifted him up. "Where have you been?! Ranboo told me Techno found you and I was worried he caught you." There were tears in her eyes. Tubbo hated seeing his aunt this way. 

"I'm sorry for making you worry. I had a little detour on my way back." He pulled away and waved at Tommy to come closer. Unsurely, he walked towards them. "This is Tommy. He was stuck in his home for his whole life, so I decided to take him on a trip and show him the world." His friend seemed to be stressed. Crap, Tubbo completely forgot that he was sure everyone wanted to hurt him for some reason. "Don't worry, big man. My aunt is cool! Everyone here is!" Tommy seemed to have relaxed a bit. He reached out his hand. Tubbo noticed it was shaking slightly. 

"Hi, I'm Tommy. And you must be Aunt Puffy." The woman smiled and shook his hand. 

"That is right, kid. It's nice to meet you." She noticed his wet hair and gasped. Then she looked at Tubbo and realized he also had damp strads sticking to his face. "You two have to go inside and dry off now! C'mon, let's go." The duo followed her to one of the wooden houses. Tubbo looked at Tommy to check how he was doing. He did meet twice as many people as he had seen through his entire life after all. The golden-haired boy gave him a small smile. 

Tubbo couldn't help but wonder how it was possible that he cared about his well-being so much after such a short time of knowing him.


	8. Questions and Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys, my eyes hurt, i am tired, but I appreciate all comments and kudos and hits! A LOT. Seriously ily guys  
> Writing this one was a struggle but I emerged victorious!   
> Also the next chapter is going to be fun :) I am very excited

Tommy couldn't help but feel jealous. He hated it, but could not deny it. There was something in the way Ms Puffy smiled softly at Tubbo as she gave him a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate that made his stomach twist in envy. Or when she sat beside him and Tubbo laid his head comfortably on her shoulder. The last time his father allowed something like that was years ago, when Tommy was still a kid. He always assumed the physical affection stopped because he grew up and shouldn't rely on it to know his father cared about him. At that moment, however, he questioned his belief, wondering if there were any other reasons. 

"Tubbo, while it's very nice of you for wanting to show Tommy around, you know it's not safe. I mean, with Techno looking for you, I would rather if you stayed at home for a little while." Tommy looked at his...friend? He wasn't sure, but he looked up to him, trying his best not to seem to panic. They couldn’t stay! He had very limited time, three days! After that, his one and only chance would be gone forever. Tubbo turned to his aunt. 

"But I promised to take him to the capital so he can go to the Lantern Festival!" Ms Puffy shook her head and looked at her nephew. His eyes were basically begging for permission to go. 

"I can't let you into the lion's den! Because let's be real, the damned city is exactly that for you. There are guards everywhere! How do you even imagine not getting caught?" Tubbo looked down and began playing with a strand of his hair. Meanwhile, Tommy felt a slight burn in his tear ducts. All of that excitement and overthinking was for nothing? He shouldn't have left, he should have stayed at home and just pretend nothing ever happened and-

"I've been to the capital plenty of times." Silence filled the room. It seemed that everyone stopped breathing and the tension was unbearable. Tommy pulled his knees closer to his chest, ready for the intense fight to happen. "The first time I went there was with Big Q, during the festival. Nobody recognized me, so I figured out it's not that much of a risk." Ms Puffy stood up and started walking in a circle, trying to process what she had just been told. “I didn’t tell you, because-”

“You realize this might be how the king found out you’re in L’Manberg, right?” Tubbo abruptly stopped talking. He focused his gaze on the floor, avoiding Ms Puffy’s eyes at all cost. His arms slouched. “If things get worse, we will have to move out of Snowchester to Dream SMP again. We are already risking a lot by living here, but I took the chance because despite everything I still missed my home, just like you. I would…” She stuttered a little as she tried to find the right words. While Tommy did feel iffy about being there during a fight, he decided to listen, mostly due to curiosity of its outcome. “If it mattered, I would go to the castle right now and beg for your exile to end. But it doesn't matter. My word… It doesn't matter in this kingdom anymore." Tubbo sadly nodded along. 

“I know. I’m so sorry aunt Puffy.” Tommy’s heart sank. He wanted to help Tubbo in some way, add an argument that could turn everything around. His situation reminded him of… well, himself. He knew what it was like to be sheltered from danger. In Tubbo’s case, however, it seemed more justified, with all of the king-wants-him-dead-for-some-reason shit. Sure, Tommy had a history of nearly being kidnapped due to his powers, but from what he could gather, nobody knew who he was. Which meant they didn’t know there is something priceless within him. Didn’t that technically mean there was no particular reason for him to be worried about safety outside? If so, why did his father insist on hiding him?

Suddenly, like with a struck of lightning, Tommy knew what to say.

“Uh, excuse me?” Two other people in the room looked at him. They must have forgotten he was still there, because they appeared to be quite startled. “I know that I don’t know a lot about the whole situation, but maybe Tubbo is right here?” Ms Puffy squinted her eyes and Tubbo tilted his head. “I mean, I was told people would like to kidnap me or kill me if I go outside, but clearly none of those things happened. Maybe… Maybe that… What was his name again…?” The ram lady raised her eyebrow, but kept on listening. “I mean...What if Tubbo isn’t actually in as much danger as you think he is?” Tubbo gave Tommy a small smile. That was good, right?

Ms Puffy shook her head and sighed. “Look, I know you mean well, and I feel like we really should come back to kidnapping and killing part, but-” 

There was a frantic knock on the door. All three looked at the source of noise, wondering who it could be and why they chose to knock so forcefully. Tommy watched as Tubbo slowly opened the door.

“Oh, hi Ranboo!” Tommy was at least shocked when he saw the famous friend of Tubbo. His skin was black on one side and white on another. He was so tall that he had to crouch under the door frame when he entered the house. Each of his eyes had a different color - red and green. He definitely wasn’t human.

“Tubbo! Thank goodness you are okay, I was worried.” Tubbo grinned, seemingly forgetting about the fight that has just happened. Ranboo turned to the horned woman, giving her a small hand wave. “Hello Ms Puffy! And hello…” He stared at Tommy for a second, trying to figure out who he was. “Actually, who are you?”

“I’m Tommy.” Ranboo nodded as if that explained everything he needed to know about the golden-haired boy. “And you are Ranboo, right?” 

“Uh, yeah! Pleasure to meet you.” He did not reach out his hand to greet him, which was honestly a relief. Besides, it seemed the weird tall guy came in there with a specific goal in mind.

“What is up? I thought you were working in a bee dome?” Ms Puffy seemed concerned. People running into her house must not have been a normal occurrence. Ranboo scratched his head, most likely trying to remember why he came there.

“Hold on… Oh, I know! Oh boy, I know. Uh… I was taking a break and went on a stroll and I saw a… I saw…” He stumbled with his words, delaying the moment he would have to say the name. “I saw Dream.” 

Tubbo took a step back and Ms Puffy’s eyes went wide. Meanwhile, Tommy froze, trying to comprehend that information. According to what he had read, Dream was a peaceful deity who got wrongfully punished by taking away his immortality and powers. Which means he should be long gone. How could he be around Snowchester?

"What do you mean you saw Dream? Here? Near Snowchester?" Maybe he meant some other Dream? Who knows? Definitely not Tommy, he was so confused at that moment. Actually, everything was confusing. "Nobody saw him for years! What does he want?" Ms Puffy was pacing around. Tommy decided it would not hurt to ask who that Dream was. 

"Who is Dream?" While Tubbo and Ms Puffy were aware Tommy doesn't know a lot, Ranboo seemed shocked. He looked at Tubbo and said boy waved his hand at him, trying to make it clear he knows what to do.

"Remember when I told you about the prince who got kidnapped?" Tommy nodded his head. "Well, Dream was the one to do it. Since then, he barely shows up, but when he does, something terrible happens. Aunt and I weren't around, but apparently he repeatedly broke into the castle and caused chaos, he attacked villages and destroyed many landmarks. And he regularly robbed people. Officially, he's been in hiding for years, but some people claim to have seen him. He is probably the most hated person in the entire kingdom." Tommy could not believe what he had just heard. The Dream he had read about was much different from Dream that was described by Tubbo. 

That Dream was also on his way to drag his precious flower where it belonged. 


End file.
